PS Mommies Thread!

[lili]

DD
Welcome! Hope motherhood is treating you well.
Anyway, I supplemented initially with J too when my milk wasn''t coming in and she wasn''t getting the colostrum because her latch was wrong.
We gave her formula for the first week.
First 3 days because my milk was not in yet.
Then 4 more days because she was still having problem with the latch and much preferred the bottle since she wasn''t getting any milk BFing.
Once she got the hang of BFing, she refused the bottle

and haven''t been able to get her back on the bottle.
She''s drinking through the straw now.
Since Hunter already has a good latch, I don''t think the bottle is going to sway him from BFing.

 

[Burk]

lili~Sit still? What''s that mean? he he. I just want to see J in action...if that means from the back so be it!

puffy~That works out well that the stuff you found is for spring!

T''s is surely a piece of work. Makes me laugh. She just whined for 5 minutes. She kept saying "Jake, Jake" (that''s our dog) because he was outside and she wanted him to come in. She kept walking to the front door and saying "Jake" so that I would let him in. I kept explaining that it''s nice outside and Jake wanted to stay outside and play. She continued to whine. She is so strong willed. Ugh.

DD~Welcome again to the mommy thread. I breastfed and bottle fed and had no problems at all! Tayva was not a great BFer in the beginning and my milk came in late so I introduced a bottle because she was hungry and I had nothing to giver her. She never had nipple confusion and learned to BF like a champ quickly. I always used a bottle when in public (didn''t like the idea of BFing in public for me. Personal choice) and Dh gave her a bottle for a night feeding almost every night in the beginning. We never had a problem doing both. I was soooo nervous at first that it would cause confusion and she''d never figure out BFing. All this jabber to say, you do what''s best for Hunter. He''ll do just fine with both I''m sure!

 

[Tacori E-ring]

I forgot to share my good news...T is DONE with bottles!!!

She really listens to her doctor! Haha. He said she should start sleeping through the night at her 6 month visit and THAT night was the first time she did. Then at her 12 month visit he said beyond 15 months should be bottle free...she is a week away from 16 months! Too funny. It was really easy though. A few days ago I got annoyed b/c she kept turning her bottle upside down and PLAYING with the milk

so I put it in a sippy and she drank it. Thinking it was a fluke I gave her a bottle that night and she did the same thing! I told DH, we are done. She is not drinking, just playing. So she has had milk in her sippy for a few days now. I thought it would be a huge battle. She''s a funny girl.

Burk, fun project! Lucky lady! Tell Julian I said hi. Tessa doesn''t drag us anywhere. I don''t think she "needs" us! How sad.

lili, well Tessa was never 18.5"

so she really never was that tiny. No pang. Of course I thought he was adorable but was quickly reminded of sleepless nights, frustration, and a lot of pain.

snlee, no difference really. My butt is a tad smaller but sadly...I am still chubby. *sigh* Guess it takes longer than a month to start seeing a difference. Glad I am starting NOW and not April. I think my body likes being fat.

CIO is hard and I really didn''t have to do it that long. It works though. He need to learn to self soothe.

puffy, I think she is going through a phase where she likes people easier than before but the babysitter IS great. That''s awesome B has made a friend. Play dates really break up the week (in a good way) for us SAHMs. Twice a week might be too much for us. Yesterday wore her out.

DD, in the end you have to do what is best for Hunter. T was born at 7 lbs 2 oz and was 6 lbs 8 oz when we left the hospital (which was low). She has formula IN the hospital b/c I was *really* sick so I had the nursery feed her at night so I could rest. I feel bad saying this but I just couldn''t deal with it every 2-3 hours until I got well. Plus she was NOT a textbook nurser (you are lucky). Then I didn''t really have to supplement besides the occasionally formula bottle until she was 4 months. She dropped from 25% for weight to 5% (I think...or something really low like that). Her pedi was VERY concerned as was my dad. I supplemented and she gained a whole lb in one month. Her pedi was pleased. She was back up to 10%. Now she is 50% and CLEARLY not starving (if you see her belly). T NEVER had nipple confusion but she did decide at 6.5 months she was done with me and she went full time on formula.

Bobo, some days I feel like Tessa is really behind. Everything I have heard and read basically says kid''s intelligence level out around 5. So like Lili said some kids just need a little more time to get to the *same* place as another kid. The important thing is that they get to that place one day. I am sure little B is perfect!

 

[sasa]

Thanks snlee, I hope so too. So tired of renting.

Thanks lili & Tacori, I hope I''m just worrying too much.

puffy, I guess after little B''s Kawasaki incident it cast a shadow over us. I''m constantly watching little B like hawk to see if he is not feeling well...and lately DH is telling me that he feel little B is a little behind compare to other baby his age. DH is the kind don''t like to compare kid so it really raise my "security level" I guess...

DD, congrats! Welcome to motherhood! We supplemented little B because I didn''t have enough milk and he gets frustrated with me and refused breast feeding so I just pump it out and give it to him in a bottle.

 

[Jas12]

DD--ugh, BFing is just so complicated ! Why the heck is that? Sorry i don''t have much advice, but i am just wondering--are u judging the amount Hunter is getting based on the amount you pump? I''ve posted about this before, but i don''t get much when i pump. If Co drank only what i pumped he would honestly have starved to death by now. Yet i have never supplemented and the kid still only gets fluids from me. When i first started BFing i had trouble with the latch but i just assumed that as long as Co got wet and poopie diapers and could sleep for a couple hours he was fine. You are lucky to have a good latcher--that''s half the battle. In the early days when i thought my DH could help by giving a bottle of B-milk, i would pump allll day long and get maybe 4 oz. I quickly gave that up and resigned myself to a year of boob-service. What does your middie suggest? My inkling is that if Hunter has a good latch just keep nursing and i bet in a day or two he''ll be getting tons of milk.
GOOD LUCK
Other than that, how has the first hours of motherhood struck you?



Tacori--yay for bottle-free! And yay for a good babysitter experience!

 

[Burk]

Tacori~Yay for Tessa!!!

(and yay for you....you get to put the bottles away!!) Our T is down to one bottle a day so I''m thinking she''ll be over the bottle within a week or so. *crossing my fingers* My project has been fun. We''ll see how it ends, though.

T doesn''t drag us around because she needs us, it''s more like she wants us to do what SHE wants us to do. Bossy!

Bobo~I agree with Tacori, no need to worry now. Babies all do things at their own pace. Puffy''s B is a super talker for his age, Tayva is super tall and social, Tessa is Miss Independant, they''re all different and all do different things well and learn different skills at different times. I know it''s easier said than done, but try not to worry!

 

[DivaDiamond007]

Snlee - Yay for starting D on rice cereal! James loves his too - he''s such a little piggy.

Puffy and Jas12 - Thank you so much for the info on signing. DH and I going to find some books and do some online research and get started with James.

Tacori - I''m glad that T liked the babysitter! It is really hard to find someone that you like, trust and will work with your schedule. Also, congrats to T for foregoing the bottle! We''ve tried the prune route with James and it has only worked about half the time. He did 2 good poops today though so I think he''s getting better.

Burk - I''m glad that your parents are kosher with following your rules. My IL''s are really good, especially since we live with them, but my mom wants to bend them from time to time. Sometimes we have to remind her that we are James'' parents and she''s already had her chance to raise kids.

Janine - You can add fruits to the cereal whenever you are ready. We mix fruits and veggies into oatmeal and rice cereal for James and he loves it. Gives it a bit more substance and helps keep him full longer.

Dreamer - WELCOME! Motherhood is the best ride of your life so sit back and hold on! Your Hunter is such a handsome little guy and I wish you the best of luck breastfeeding.

Attention all mommies - check out my new thread in SMTR for a Valentine''s Day surprise

!

 

[puffy]

tacori YAY for no more bottles!! man, T really does listen her pedi. haha. so are you doing the babysitter once a week? that would be so great for you to get out and do stuff or even spend some you time. DH also mentioned that twice a week might be a bit much for B, but it''s not for another few months so hopefully by then, he will be ok with it. i''m planning on taking B to the gym tomorrow morning. i am so hoping that it goes well again. how is miss T doing?

burk awwww, your "jake" story just made me laugh so hard!! she is such a character, she cracks me up! poor B, he loves our dog so much, but the dog just wants NOTHING to do with him. haha. B follows the dog around and tries to kiss him, hug him, everything. i swear when our dog sees B coming, he runs the other way. haha.

bobo you know, honestly, kids are so different and like tacori said, they will all get to where they need to be, some may take longer than others, but they will all get there. we know an 18 month old girl who just said her first word literally last week, but a week later, she is a human dictionary. so little B will be where he needs to be as will all other kids. DON''T WORRY!!! easier said than done, i know, but please try not to!

diva how is james doing? is he sleeping through the night more often?

 

[msb700]

Jas12: how smart is Co!! thats so cute..

Burk: K''s birthday is April 10th and yeah planning to have a party..unfortunately, we have almost NO places for kids parties over here..its ridiculous..i WISH there was a gymboree or something similar....i mite end up having to rent everything and have it in my front yard or something (like jumping castles, face painting, popcorn stand, etc..)...

Diva: sorry to hear about James

but prunes does help a lot...

Snlee: aww! thats so sweet that he opens up his mouth for the next bite of RC!! sorry to hear about mastitis

LIA: sorry bout the clogged duct too!

TGal: good to ''see'' u!!!! can''t wait to have u back here full time again i miss ur posts..

janinegirly: i think u could replace the rice with oatmeal..i introduced fruits and veggies with rice almost immediately...i tried out a few spoons of plain rice i think for 4 meals and then started adding fruits and veggies...

Tacori: thats such great news about the sitter!!! must be such a relief..(i''ve gotten a bunch of those red dot like moles too!!! they''re flat (no bump) and i can''t feel them at all) congrats on the bottle weaning!!!!

lili: Thanks

..i know he does look a lot older than his age! i think it has to do as well with his height..hes as tall as 3 to 4 year olds! ive got a tall kid on my hands....unfortunately he hasn''t outgrown the allergy

the ped. says that hed outgrow it around 5 years of age or so....i started a thread actually asking for egg-free cake recipes. i decided im just going to bake him his cake for his bday ..

 

[pavelover]

Hi Ladies! I have missed you guys! I have been reading but I''m a bit behind...My friend left on sunday- we had a great week and she was a big help for me since dh went back to work. I would be lying if I didn''t say I really was missing the times back in the day when we would lay around watching trash t.v. for hours at a time sans baby. is that terrible? But T got to hang out with his auntie and she fed him/cared for him while I kept up with my pumping. I''m glad she got to know him.
We did hire someone to help me a few hours a week and it has been a total dream!!!She is my friend''s nanny so I already knew her- she is helping with picking up, laundry, Tyler, organizing, etc! I am a happy girl. I feel very very lucky.
OK and i am afraid to jinx this but out of the blue on Tuesday night, Tyler started refusing the bottle from me! He is staying latched better and is bf from me!!!!!!Hooray! I am so excited. I hope he doesn''t change his mind! ok that''s enough about me.

DD Welcome to the mommy thread! Hunter is soooo beautiful and I am happy for you. Tyler is just getting the hang of bf and it took 9 weeks- meaning he was getting the bottle for most of that time except when he was hospitalized/intubated etc. I was so scared about the bottle too but my l.c. is very laid back and tells me that they really have a good few months to get it togehter and where they will take both! Keep up the good work and I hope it gets easier to figure out for you!

Burk I lost track a little- is tavya still coughing? I hope she is feeling better. Did you find a nanny? I hope to use a nanny if/when Ireturn to work. trouble is, my current job doesn''t pay me enough to use the nanny I just found- so she is temporary and I may not go back to work until 1 yr or I may get my old job back that is better pay so I can have the nanny I want. It sure is difficult to figure out. I think it would be hard to leave Tyler but knowing I trust the person is a big deal. And having money to save for college/be less strapped financially would be great. Plus if I take the other job, we can probably look for a bigger place since we are bursting at the seams here and no yard, etc. oh btw. since you used a combo of bf/bottle feeding- when did you know it was time to pump? I am so used to pumping many times aday. Tyler bf 8 times yesterday but I am nervous that he may not be emptying my breasts or that he doesn''t eat long enough and I will lose my milk. I know Im kind of being crazy about it...What did you do?

Snlee I don''t know if this is true or not but on a medela forum for bf one of the mom''s said that she got mastitis from pumping too long b/c she was trying to make sure her breasts were empty. I know you dealt with this before you had to pump but I just thought I would mention it just in case it helps. Have you ever called an l.c.? around here you can talk to them on the phone without charge at some places.

Bobo Sorry to hear about the house. Hope you find one soon that you love and is the right one. It is hard not to compare our kids, right? Everyone is different though.

Tacori Wow lots of changes! Yay for the babysitter and class! I think it''s great the teacher was cool about T kinda doing her own thing a little. I am glad you like the sitter you found. I like ours too. My dh came home and said "oh sarah was here today, huh? I can tell because you are happy

. Having someone to help is just heaven.

I am going to try and finish posting tomorrow. It''s 4 am and I should get back in bed. Take care.

 

[Tacori E-ring]

Bobo, it''s also one of those things that is kind of out of your control. I try not to worry about those issues. Honestly though, I have had the same thoughts with T. She is very different than her peers (in my opinion). She has a friend who is 19 months, knows her colors, alphabet AND a few words in spanish (from watching "Dora"). It is nearly impossible to know what Tessa knows. I am sure little B is the same. She does her own thing, at her own pace. She doesn''t repeat things or seem eager to "please" me.

Jas12, Bfing IS so complicated. It is hard! Who would have guessed it?

Burk, honestly I wasn''t stressed about the bottle thing. I figure it was a source of comfort to her and I wasn''t going to just rip it away from her. Now she still uses binkies but only gets them at sleep time or if we are out and she is upset (more for me than her). Also I give her one at the Y now. She probably would have one in her mouth 24/7 if I let her. I honestly think T wants nothing to do with me. Haha.

Diva, also I heard moving his legs around (like he was riding a bike) is good to stimulate things. If he went twice yesterday there is NO problem!

Puffy, yes I am planning on using her once a week. She will tell me on Sundays what she has available. I am flexible so as long as I get SOME time off, I am not picky about which day. I''ll find SOMETHING to do. Haha. Hope B is enjoying himself at the gym!

msb, it is a relief to find someone you like and who likes your kid! Not sure what took me so long. I just get worried b/c some of the red dots are new. They are so small and like you, you cannot feel them. I can barely see them. I feel like I got a lot when I was preggo. Hopefully Lia will fill us in on what they are. Good luck planning K''s party. Wish there was somewhere you could go but honestly your front yard sounds like a blast!

pave, that is wonderful you have help! I am sure that makes all the difference! Yay for T BFing too! Yeah, the teacher was like whatever THEY want to do is fine. This is their time. I was like okay! I will take her to the "circle time" every class and if she runs away so be it.

 

[Burk]

Diva~That''s so good that your IL''s are good at following along with your rules...especially because you live with them! Already commented in your thread, but your DH is a sweetheart!

puffy~Thank goodness our dog is OLD because he pretty much just lays there and lets T have her way with him!

So funny your dog runs away from B. I can just see B chasing after the dog like "come on, I just want to hug you."

msb~Oh I think it would be so fun to have all that stuff set up in your yard! I bet K will love it!! Have you decided on an eggless cake recipe yet?

pave~That''s so great that you have someone to help you out! The potential nanny we have (not sure if it''s going to work out for sure quite yet) is a friend of the family so I will feel super confident leaving T with her. Sad thing is, I feel so confident leaving her at daycare now. I love her caretakers, love the other kids and she gets soooo much attention there. It''s just with her asthma we''re thinking it would be better to be away from all the other kids and their germs. She is STILL coughing. It''s better, but we''re still on 4 nebulizer treatments a day. I only pumped in place of a feeding. So, for example DH fed her a bottle at night so I could go to bed early. I would just pump before I went to bed. I BFed her all the other feedings. If he''s full after every feeding then your body will make enough milk to keep up with Tyler.

Tacori~You know what''s funny, I wasn''t stressed about the bottle because YOU weren''t stressed!

I figured I''d just see what Tessa did and hope that Tayva followed along. Tayva still has binkies for sleep too! She loves them. In the mornings when I''m getting her dressed she will walk over to her crib and try and grab the binkies out of it. Of course she want you....remember how she cries when you take her to child watch?!? I think it''s a good thing that she can play by herself and entertain herself. My IL''s 3 year-old doesn''t and they NEVER have down time. I can''t imagine.

 

[neatfreak]

DD It happens hon! Just do whatever you think is best. I resisted supplementing for a day or so, then there just came a moment when I realized we needed to do it so we did.

And I agree with Jas re: pumping. Has your lc done the true test of how much he's getting by weighing before and after feeding? If not try that, it'll give you a better idea.

Just remember that we can't control our babies and no matter how much we want to do something b/c our research tells us it's the best, it doesn't mean that they/our body will necessarily cooperate! Just keep BFing even if you have to supplement and your supply should catch up. And drink, drink, drink!


Everyone else Hi! We're here and alive. Just reading b/c typing with 1 hand is hard! Thinking about you guys! No word on the move yet...still waiting to hear. Ughhh I hate being in transition!

 

[Tacori E-ring]

Burk, that is so sweet and totally made my day! I am glad you have confidence in my parenting. Haha.

She was down to two bottles a day (one in the morning, one at night) for months now. I have tried in the past to give her milk in a sippy and she would throw it. I figure why force the issue? She NEEDS fluids and milk so if that is the only way she will drink it so be it. She has been taking water in her sippy for awhile now. I need to buy more sippys now that she will be having milk in them too.

Tessa does the same thing about reaching through her crib slats to reach her binky or sleep bear. She is such a turkey. When she pulls her blanket through I know she is really tired. I am not going to worry about the binkies until 2. I figure this is her one vice (now that the bottles are done). She deserves that right? Also she is not a kid who walks around with it 24/7. I mean she WOULD if I let her but she doesn''t challenge me on that. Plus I much rather have it be a binky than her thumb.

I know she LOVES me and likes to be with me. Sometimes she will throw things on my lap (a book if she wants me to read it or a toy) but usually she pretty much does her own thing. It is nice. I cannot imagine a kid who has to be entertained every waking minute. Makes me tired just thinking about it!

NF, hope you find your answers soon! I would be going crazy if I were you. Good luck!

 

[Burk]

Tacori~I''m glad I was able to make your day! I totally meant it becasuse of course I trust your parenting!

Tayva has always liked water in her sippy, but she would throw the sippy if it had milk in it like Tessa. So, I figured it really wasn''t a battle worth fighting. And so I haven''t. Tayva would have a binky all day long if we let her, too. I have had to hide them because she knew where they were in the living room and would go and crawl up onto the couch to get them!

The little stinker would get all three and walk around with one in her mouth and one in each hand!. I probably won''t worry about getting rid of it until somewhere between 18-24 mos either. Not worth it.

My SIL is rarely home alone with her kids now because she can''t handle it alone...their 3 year-old won''t play by himself and the newborn cries if you put him down (totally different issue that I think she set into motion but that''s neither here nor there). How miserable! Oh, and I posted on my thread about my anni ring....hop over there and give me your opinion of you have a minute!

 

[sasa]

Tacori, Yay for no more bottles! We''re still waiting for that day to come...

Thanks Burk, puffy & Tacori, I''m just stressing inside. I know I have to be patient and let little B do things in his pace...

Thanks pave lover, I never know finding "THE" house is so hard...it is hard not to compare...I''m the kind that don''t like to compare but I find my self stressing inside...worrying something is wrong...

 

[puffy]

burk haha, our poor dog has had his fur pulled out, nose punched, eyes poked, tail pulled, you name it, it''s been done to him by B. and all the while, B is laughing hysterically because i''m guessing he thinks our poor dig likes it. YIKES about the ILS kids!!! i could not imagine if B would not play by himself and give me some time to PS. haha!! i do love playing with him, but now he is so independent, i feel like he only comes to me when he wants something he can''t get himself. haha. yesterday he wa splaying and he came over to me and threw his empty water bottle on my lap and said "wataaaaa peeeaassssse." it was funny.

pave that''s great that you have a little help!! YAY for tyler latching on! that''s such great news!!! how is tyler doing?

neat hope the boys are doing well and you too!

bobo just enjoy little B and the things that he''s doing now and before you know it, he will be doing things you never thought he would be able to.

tacori B totally enjoyed the gym today! i carried him up the stairs and when he saw the room, he kept saying "down, down, down." so he was pretty excited. and it was the lady who he liked so that was even better. the minute he saw her, he was grinning from ear to ear. how is little miss independent doing? have her teeth come in?

 

[janinegirly]

Thanks everyone for the food info!

tacori: things sound great with the classes, babysitter and T moving past the bottle! yippee

puffy & burk: poor doggies, but the way I see Chloe attacking her stuffed pet puppy (scratching, squeezing and then into the mouth)--I can now see how it happens!

snlee: Hope things get better with the mastitis and sleeping situation. Chloe''s been on RC 2 weeks now. I think I''ll start her on fruits, veggies soon--I really can''t wait. I"m loving this stage and it is so much fun watching a litle baby taste foods for the first time. I hope I don''t run out of new foods for awhile! My mom has her during the days during the week though, and since Chloe is at the bubble blowing stage--my mom gets alot of rice cereal blown in her face, so thinking she might not be as excited!

 

[Burk]

Bobo~I know it''s hard not to stress. Years from now, you''ll look back and laugh!

puffy~Your poor dog has been through it all....no wonder he runs away now!

Yea, part of the reason I get so frustrated about the IL''s is because seriously, who are they to judge MY parenting?!? Their infant is 11 weeks old and won''t sleep anywhere but in someone''s arms. I love to play with T too, but I also love that she will entertain herself so that I can surf PS, make dinner, clean, or whatever else needs to be done. So funny about the water refill! I love B''s vocabulary! So glad he''s loving going to the daycare at your gym, too. That''s awesome that you can go work out and he gets to play with other kids!

Janine~Yea, Tavya is obsessed with our dog! Kisses him, hugs him, even says his name! (and she only says a few words)

 

[Burk]

Oh, and mommies who visited my thread about my anni/b-day present go back, I have a question I''d like all your opinions on!

 

[pavelover]

Hi Everyone! I will try to finish getting caught up.
I think I forgot to say thank you for all the lovely compliments on Tylers picutres that I posted. I need to take some more and post. I am enjoying everyone''s pictures so much too.

Puffy thanks for asking about T. He is doing great. Seems like his sleep is improving and he is bf pretty well for 1 and 1/2 days now with no bottles from me. took bottles from my dh tues,wed. He is holding his head up really well, smiling at me alot more and I am trying tummy time. It''s pretty cool. He seems to have a period of fussiness from like 8-9 or 8-10 as he is trying to get down for the night. Then he is sleeping almost 5 hours so I am thrilled. Daytime naps are a liitle sketchy- like 30 min or so but seem to be improving. Right now hes been asleep about 1 hr 20 min. woohoo!!! darn I think I just woke him up.
It sounds great that b likes the childcare at the gym. I guess I have to wait a while until I can get to the gym with t. thats ok I am lazy anyway.

Lili Im not sure if I said I love that avi pic but omg it is so cute. How are you? J?

nf good to see you. Is the sleeping/feeding going any better? I feel like a certain amount of the fog has lifted. I am scared to get too cocky though that things are improving on the sleep/bf front. I am awfully grateful, though.

well Tyler is awake and I can''t really finish right now...
I did have a question. any moms who struggled with the decision of whether/when to return to work? I need to work, surely. But I do have the opportunity to stay home for one yr since Dh got that package when he was laid off. We feel like we could use some of that money to supplement our income and let me stay home. But on the other hand, if I return at 6 mo or so we could use that money to go toward a house and start saving,etc toward college and other things for Tyler. Also I dont want to live the year stressed about money. I am a bit confused. How did you mommies sort it all out?
the one job I want is 36 hours- 3 12 hour shifts and that would leave 4 full days with Tyler- not perfect but pretty darn good. I dunno. just talking out loud here. I feel kind of guilty that I am even willing to go back to work. Like I should be jumping at the opportunity to stay home, you know? any stories would be appreciated. thank you.

 

[Dreamer_D]

Thanks to everyone who gave their advice, opinions, experiences about the BFing issue! It feels so good to know that others did the same thing and then went on the BF. I feel more confident that it will all work out for me too.

As to whether an lc measured my actual output... We haven''t been that technical, I just sort of threw out the 1/2 oz. thing as a reference for amount. The actual issues that clued us in were Hunter''s weight loss--went from 8lb 7oz to 7lb 10oz on day 3-- combined with his infrequent/non-existent peeing and pooping. And his ront fontonelle was depressed, like an indent, which is a real sign of dehydration

.

Anyways, I am happy to report that operation supplement has worked well! His weight went back up to 8lb 1oz after just one day! And he is not fussy anymore and sleeps better and has nice alert period and pees all the time. I feel so bad for the poor little guy literally starving over the last couple days. Anyways, the pumping and frequent BFing seems to be working really well too. When he feeds, I hear more swallows, and when he pulls away he has a mouth full of milk. Also, at the pump I now produce about 1oz per breast, which is 2x yesterday, so hopefully that is indicative of something. Best thing about it, though, is that I can now BF Hunter and then give him the pumped BM as a supplement, so he doesn''t need to take formula anymore (or maybe just a teensy bit). The supplement is mostly to make sure of how much he is getting. Once he is closer to his birth weight, we can look at eliminating the supplment and then we will simply watch his pees and his appearance and behaviuor to etermine whether he is getting enough. Having seen a satiated boy and a hungry boy, the difference is stark! So here''s hoping I am off the supplement by the end of the weekend! And here''s hoping for breast milk shooting accross the room by the end of the weekend as well

 

[Dreamer_D]

Date: 2/26/2009 11:49:04 AM
Author: neatfreakJust remember that we can''t control our babies and no matter how much we want to do something b/c our research tells us it''s the best, it doesn''t mean that they/our body will necessarily cooperate!

Neat this sounds like a hard earned lesson if I ever heard one! Too true, I am trying to take it easy, but BFing is just so important to me that I am willing to do almost anything to make it work out. Here''s hoping it doesn''t come to "anything" and ends with just pumping.

 

[Dreamer_D]

Date: 2/25/2009 8:02:21 PM
Author: Jas12
DD--ugh, BFing is just so complicated ! Why the heck is that?
...Other than that, how has the first hours of motherhood struck you?

The relative complication of BFing is a mystery to me. I am pretty sure that *something* must have changed in our culture or in women's pregnancy habits (e.g., older age of first baby??) that contributes. When I read historical accounts, say from the middle ages in England, infant mortality was never really ascribed to an inability to BF! Of course some women must have had issues, but I wonder whether things were different in some way regarding how pregnancy or birth or BFing was handled. Who knows? For goodness sakes, animals do it without any trouble

Anyways, everyone I know had some sort of issue, some milder than others, but still! How annoying!

Motherhood is interesting to say the least! I don't feel like a "mom" yet, that's for sure. I look at this little boy--who is so cute, like a little doll or an alien creature--and I am in wonder and awe of the fact that he is ours to care for and raise for the next X number of years. I keep expecting someone to come and take him back

but I guess he is here to stay! I haven't been able to totally just enjoy things because of the feeding thing making most of the day all about the boob, but so far it is really fun. I am LOVING not working! LOL!! I can't believe I don't have to worry about research and publications and students for the next 10 months, what a treat!

Oh and I found out today that Hunter's hand was beside his head when he was born! So really I birthed a much larger baby than 8.5lbs

 

[neatfreak]

Date: 2/26/2009 7:04:56 PM
Author: dreamer_dachsie

Date: 2/26/2009 11:49:04 AM

Author: neatfreakJust remember that we can''t control our babies and no matter how much we want to do something b/c our research tells us it''s the best, it doesn''t mean that they/our body will necessarily cooperate!

Neat this sounds like a hard earned lesson if I ever heard one! Too true, I am trying to take it easy, but BFing is just so important to me that I am willing to do almost anything to make it work out. Here''s hoping it doesn''t come to ''anything'' and ends with just pumping.

Lol, it was for me too. Crazy social science researchers.

 

[TravelingGal]

Date: 2/26/2009 7:04:56 PM
Author: dreamer_dachsie

Date: 2/26/2009 11:49:04 AM
Author: neatfreakJust remember that we can't control our babies and no matter how much we want to do something b/c our research tells us it's the best, it doesn't mean that they/our body will necessarily cooperate!

Neat this sounds like a hard earned lesson if I ever heard one! Too true, I am trying to take it easy, but BFing is just so important to me that I am willing to do almost anything to make it work out. Here's hoping it doesn't come to 'anything' and ends with just pumping.

I hope so too DD, but seriously, do not stress yourself over this. BFing was hugely important to me. So much so that I tried for TWO MONTHS without much luck and LONG after doctors, BFing consultants and everyone else to me to give up. I was literally squeezing out ONE TENTH of an ounce by the end out of my right boob. That's right, one tenth. A hugely pathetic amount and I still trying to give Amelia something.

If you want to keep up supply, use a SNS taped to your boob. Baby gets the milk/formula he needs and is still sucking on your breast using proper BFing suckling. Plus the more he sucks, the more you're supposed to produce. It did not work for me, but at my peak, I was getting 2oz out of my left boob a day. That was directly due to the SNS.

Funny how you can do all the homework in the world and things go differently eh? Welcome to motherhood.

Be back later gals...

 

[puffy]

burk i know, and he is pretty old too...he is almost 11 years old and trying to run away from a 1 year old little boy who will not leave him alone. i am so glad that he loves the day care t the gym and thank goodness i actually listened to tacori and took him to try it out or i would have never taken him in fear of being one of those parents who has to drag their screaming child out of there. B''s vocabulary is all over the place. i swear that kid knows way too much for a kid his age. a lot of the time, i''m always thinking where in the heck did he learn that.

pave so good to hear that tyler is doing so well. and WOW, 5 hours at night, that is so great!!! and sounds like he is eating like a champ. it is so fun to watch them grow isn''t it? i still miss when B was just a tiny little boy and i could hold him with 1 arm, but those days are long gone. i really can''t say when you should return to work as i am not in your shoes financially, and with a baby, we all know how expensive things can get. but i will tell you that i did enjoy being with B all the time and watching him grow up and learn new things and do things for the first time. ultimately the decision is up to you and your DH.

DD glad to hear that hunter is gaining weight and your milk is still coming in!

 

[pavelover]

puffy thanks so much for answering! i am anxious for replies. I know you can''t advise me specifically cause we are all different in our finances etc. I guess I am just wondering how other ppl went through the process- like did they sit down and look at all the costs/savings/etc or just make the decision from their emotional place or always knew what they were going to do and stuck to it? I have wanted a child for along time. Always around kids, early childhood ed major, then a pediatric nurse instead. I believe these are the formative times and I thought I would want to be home for all of it if I could. Now I''m kind of confused b/c I have a chunk of time I could potentially stay home and am surprised I am not jumping on it. I think right now it''s hard to say what life will exactly be like cause we are still sleep deprived and T is just starting to interact more. I also haven''t joined any groups yet or any classes for the baby, so I could feel differently. But I realized today that I may be very lonely at home by myself. I feel kind of selfish but I do believe also that the mom has to take care of herself too- I told myself while pregnant that whatever I decided would be ok, but I keep judging myself. Shoot this is becoming like a book. If you are still reading, thanks for listening. haha.

 

[DivaDiamond007]

Date: 2/26/2009 5:44:47 PM
Author: pavelover
Hi Everyone! I will try to finish getting caught up.
I think I forgot to say thank you for all the lovely compliments on Tylers picutres that I posted. I need to take some more and post. I am enjoying everyone''s pictures so much too.

Puffy thanks for asking about T. He is doing great. Seems like his sleep is improving and he is bf pretty well for 1 and 1/2 days now with no bottles from me. took bottles from my dh tues,wed. He is holding his head up really well, smiling at me alot more and I am trying tummy time. It''s pretty cool. He seems to have a period of fussiness from like 8-9 or 8-10 as he is trying to get down for the night. Then he is sleeping almost 5 hours so I am thrilled. Daytime naps are a liitle sketchy- like 30 min or so but seem to be improving. Right now hes been asleep about 1 hr 20 min. woohoo!!! darn I think I just woke him up.
It sounds great that b likes the childcare at the gym. I guess I have to wait a while until I can get to the gym with t. thats ok I am lazy anyway.

Lili Im not sure if I said I love that avi pic but omg it is so cute. How are you? J?

nf good to see you. Is the sleeping/feeding going any better? I feel like a certain amount of the fog has lifted. I am scared to get too cocky though that things are improving on the sleep/bf front. I am awfully grateful, though.

well Tyler is awake and I can''t really finish right now...
I did have a question. any moms who struggled with the decision of whether/when to return to work? I need to work, surely. But I do have the opportunity to stay home for one yr since Dh got that package when he was laid off. We feel like we could use some of that money to supplement our income and let me stay home. But on the other hand, if I return at 6 mo or so we could use that money to go toward a house and start saving,etc toward college and other things for Tyler. Also I dont want to live the year stressed about money. I am a bit confused. How did you mommies sort it all out?
the one job I want is 36 hours- 3 12 hour shifts and that would leave 4 full days with Tyler- not perfect but pretty darn good. I dunno. just talking out loud here. I feel kind of guilty that I am even willing to go back to work. Like I should be jumping at the opportunity to stay home, you know? any stories would be appreciated. thank you.

This is a tough decision, indeed. I was able to stay home for 6 months with James but only because DH and I made the decision to move in with his parents in order to get by financially. There are other reasons behind our move but money was a huge factor and so was my desire to stay home with James as long as possible. I nearly lost my job in the process, got demoted and took a pay cut because I decided to go back part-time.

I''m speculating here but I''m pretty sure my boss figured I''d quit after having the baby and so he told me some lies about getting a pay raise when returning from maternity leave - around $600.00 per month. I have no clue where he''d ever get the idea that I wasn''t going to come back, because I told him from the very beginning of my pregnancy that I would not quit. I can''t afford to not work so it was never even an option for me to be a SAHM and my boss was well aware of that fact. He was never going to give me the raise to begin with - because he''s cut the number of cases he''s taking and moving his practice to northern Michigan so he "can''t afford it". I called him out on his lie and, redfaced, he offered to go along with my idea of having me work shortened hours 5 days a week. I went back in January and am currently working 30 hours per week. The boss did give me a $1.00 per hour raise (I was salary before) but I''m still making less since I work less hours.

For me it''s totally worth it because I feel like I spend good, quality time with James during the week and then I get to hog him all weekend. I also discovered that I am not SAHM material. I like working (and my job) and, as much as I hate to admit it, sometimes I need a break from James. At some point I will have to go back full-time since we are desperately trying to save for a house and we want to have another baby. I hope that everything works out for you and you''ll make the best decision for your family.

 

[Tacori E-ring]

Bobo, I promise that little B WILL come into his own. Heck, I didn''t even WALK until 17 months!

puffy, yay for B! I knew Mr. Social would love it. Glad I could *gently* encourage you to try out the gym''s daycare. Sounds like he is doing great there! Tessa kept pulling on her ears today so I am thinking the teething is bothering her again. I need to somehow look in there. BTW I have her m&ms before...BIG mistake! What a mess. My friend gives them to her baby when they are out and she fusses so I figured I would try. Tessa would suck on them and the "coloring" got all over her sweater. It was gross.

janine, sounds like Chloe is doing great.

Burk, I am conflicted with your present. Part of me likes how it is (but you know me, I would add a sizing bar). But I do like the idea of adding your DH''s birthstone...tough call!

pave, good luck making the work decision. I am sure whatever you decide WILL be the right thing for you and your family.

DD, glad it is working out. Sounds like Hunter is MUCH happier! Poor little guy. *IF* you do end up using a combo of BM and formula please do not beat yourself up about it.